Our Federal Government, over the course of a long time and many different Republican and Democrat Congresses and White Houses, violated the rights of gun owners who wanted to purchase suppressors, short barreled rifles (SBRs) and short barreled shotguns (SBSs). They taxed individual citizens $200 for the transfer of these items, required extensive paperwork and even fingerprints to be submitted to the ATF. This all comes from a 1934 law known as the National Firearms Act (NFA).
According to a press release by Rep. Andrew Clyde, the lead author of the legislation to repeal the provisions of the NFA, “Using the NFA, the Biden-Harris Administration erroneously argued that Americans who own pistols with stabilizing braces are in possession of illegal short-barreled rifles. The ATF used that argument to facilitate a ban, forcing gun owners to violate its rule or participate in an unconstitutional registry titled ‘Amnesty Registration of Pistol Brace Weapons,’ to keep their own firearms.”
But that all has changed thanks to a massive court victory that just went into effect today!
Last summer, Congress and the Trump Administration passed Rep Clydes language in the Big Beautiful Bill, which removed the $200 tax stamp on these items. That was a minor victory in itself. More importantly, because that tax was removed, the Federal Government no longer had regulation authority over these transfers based on Article 1, Section 8 tax powers. Many of us would argue they didn’t have authority based on the 2nd Amendment as well.
A U.S. court in the Northern District of Texas last week ruled that the “NFA provisions exceed Congress’s Article I enumerated powers and are therefore unconstitutional.” The judge stayed the order for seven days to give Trump’s DOJ the ability to file an appeal with the 5th Circuit Court. They had until yesterday, August 12th, to do that.
Millions of gun owners like me waited anxiously to see if the Trump Administration was going to move against our gun rights or if we’d be able to purchase the previously taxed items like regular firearms products. At the urging of many Republican members of Congress and gun groups, the Trump Administration declined to appeal.
I’m happy to report today, that the first regular transfers of suppressors has occurred.
This is a massive win for gun rights! But Democrats in Minnesota want to create a gun registry of all firearms labeled “Assault style weapons.” We aim to make sure this doesn’t happen!
We discussed the major ruling and subsequent decision by the Trump DOJ to not appeal, on today’s Truth Hurts Show. Watch below:
